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Missing Md. Teens' Car Found With 2 Bodies
Rachel Smith, left, and Rachel Crites have been missing since Jan. 19. The identities of the bodies found in the Crites's car have not been confirmed.
(Montgomery County Police Department)
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"We're not talking. We have nothing to say," said a man who answered the door at the home of Crites's father in Rockville.
At the Smiths' home in North Potomac, a woman who answered the door said the family was not ready to talk, partly because there was some uncertainty about the identities of the bodies.
The concern about the teenagers' mental state stemmed in part from a diary entry made by Crites, in which she wrote of her desire to be buried next to her true love.
Although some TV stations and newspapers reported the diary entry, The Washington Post did not report it at the request of Montgomery police, who expressed concern that publication of it might alert the teenagers that the diary was found and possibly prompt them to harm themselves.
Troy Crites, Rachel Crites's father, said in a TV interview that his daughter had suffered from depression in March.
The Loudoun sheriff's office said the teenagers were seen in the area where the bodies were found more than once since December, at a Foodway store off Route 9. The area is largely rural, with houses scattered across the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Loudoun side of the border is largely prosperous, and the West Virginia side is more mixed-income.
A member of a local safety patrol who asked not to be identified said a teenager claimed to have spotted the pair as recently as last week. About 60 local residents searched for them Sunday. They were joined by Rachel Smith's father, Paul, and an uncle, the patrol member said.
Montgomery police advise good communication in dealing with depressed teenagers. "Talking to your teenager is the best bet," Officer Melanie Hanley said. "If they're depressed, counseling is the best avenue to explore."
Staff writer Lori Aratani and staff researcher Meg Smith contributed to this report.
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